Composite knitted garment



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' INVENTOR:

March 31, 19360 G. T

COMPOSITE KNITTED GARMENT 4 Sheets-Shet 1 Filed June 2, 1935 Mareh 31, 1936. G A H COMPOSITE KNITTED GARMENT I Filed June 2, 1955 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 .l Gasfav Gas hick;

ATTORNEY.

Mmh 31, 1936. GASTRICH 7 2,035,876

COMPOSITE KNITTED GARMENT Filed June 2, 1955 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVEN TOR:

c smvamznz-k,

l 15 ATTORNE.

March 31, 1936. G. GASTRICH COMPOSITE KNITTED GARMENT Filed June 2,

1935 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTOR. Gusiav Gash igTTORNEz til Patented Mar. 31, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CONHOSITE KNITTED GARMENT Application June 2, 1933, Serial No. 673,986

5 Claims.

This invention relates to composite knitted garments, such as hosiery of the double type or the like wherein two component units, each complete in itself, insofar as the foot and leg portions of the stocking are concerned, are disposed one within .the other and permanently connected to each other along a line extending under the sole of the foot and up the back of the leg from the tip of the toe to the top of the leg.

According to the present invention each component unit may include a garter top or welt in which case the two welts would be connected to each other at and around the edge at the extreme open end of the stocking.

In the preferred form of the present invention, the composite stocking is provided with a single welt structure common to both component units and joined thereto, in any suitable manner, along the bottom edge of the welt structure, whereby garter strains will be transmitted by the welt structure to the leg portions of the component units equally, thus distributing the strains in such a manner that each component unit is subjected to approximately one-half the strain normally applied to a single body stocking.

The welt structure, in the preferred embodiment of the invention, is of the turned two ply type and while the two adjacently disposed free edges of the turned welt structure may be respectively connected to the two top edges of the leg portions of the component units, the more desirable construction is to include the two adjacent free edges of the turned welt structure and thetwo adjacentedges of the component units in one suture, to insure distribution of the strains equally between the two component units,

- as noted above.

The turned welt structure may, and preferably does, include run stops to prevent drop stitches originating in the welt from progressing downwardly into the leg portions of the component units and in order to arrest such runners ap proximately at the point of origin the whole of the welt structure is preferably composed of nonrun fabric.

The present invention further contemplates the making of the leg portions and foot portions, with the possible exception of the toe, sole and heel, of the two component units of fabrics of the same type, weight, 'material, and color, or of fabrics differing as to type, weight, color or material employed. For example, it is within the scope of the present invention to make the outer component unit of plain, non-run, or lace fabric of any desired weight, color or material while the irmer unit is composed of any of the noted types of fabric in any desired combination with such fabrics in the outer unit; and the inner unit may be of any desired weight and color depending upon the ultimate result desired.

The present invention contemplates the fabrication of the composite stocking with the two smooth normally inner faces of the two component units in contact with each other and the rough or wale faces of the stockings outermost, whereby friction created by relative movement between various portions of the respective component units, especially anticipated in the foot of the composite stocking, is materially reduced and the wear produced by such friction lowered to a minimum.

Relative movement between the foot portions of the component units is particularly beneficial to the wearer in that it avoids the formation of blisters and the creation of other undesirable foot irritations, by absorbing the rubbing action frequently produced between the skin of the wearer and the stocking, when the stocking adheres to the lining of the shoe. In the composite stocking the outer component unit may readily adhere to the shoe lining while the inner component unit mayto a like degree adhere to the skin and any relative movement between the foot and the shoe will be absorbed by and between the smooth contacting surfaces of the two units, thus relieving the wearer of any uncomfortableness.

In order to guard against excessive wear by such relative movement between the foot portions of the component units either or both thereof may be provided with normal reinforcements in its toe, foot-sole, and heel portions.

In cases where the leg and instep portions of the two component units are composed of the same type of fabric, the weights, materials and colors of the two fabrics may be the same or different depending upon the result desired, for example, the inner unit may be of service weight and of flesh color to hide blemishes of the skin or unsightly hair, while the outer unit may be of chifion weight and of flesh color or some other color to match or harmonize with the color of a dress. For winter wear, the inner unit may be of wool, mercerized cotton, or lisle thread while the inner unit may be composed of non-run fabric.

In a like manner runners in the leg of a stocking are frequently started by fine splinters or other roughness on chair and table legs catching and breaking the fine thread of which the stocking is composed, and to avoid the formation of runners in the outer unit the fabric thereof may be of a non-run type, while that of the inner unit may be either non-run or plain fabric.

In other instances, the outer unit may be composed of lace fabric of the transferred or tuck stitch type, and the inner unit may be plain or non-run for the various reasons above noted and to avoid the formation of runners in the outer unit the lace may be of a more recently developed type known as non-run lace.

With these and other objects in view, which will become apparent from the following detailed description of the illustrative embodiments of the invention shown in the accompanying drawings, my invention resides in the novel elements of construction, and combination of parts in cooperative relationship, as hereinafter more particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, the various combinations noted above, and the details of the fabrics employed are clearly illustrated, wherein:

Figs. 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 diagrammatically illustrate swatches of plain, non-run, plain lace, nonrun lace, and tuck stitch lace fabrics, respectively;

Figs. 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, and 11 diagrammatically illustrate complete composite stockings, partly in section, showing the various types of fabrics in different combinations in the component units constituting the single composite stockings of said figures respectively;

Figs. 12, 13, and 14 diagrammatically illustrate various modifications of the welt structure and the manner of attaching the same to the component leg and foot units of the composite stocking; and

Fig. 15 is a diagrammatic sectional view taken on the line |5-l5, Fig. 6.

The illustrations of Figs, 1 to 5 inclusive are representative of the various types of fabric that may be employed in fabricating a composite stocking according to the principles of the present invention, for example, Fig. 1 illustrates plain fabric A composed of successively knit transverse courses a, a, of regular stitches, which collectively produce on the normally outer face of the fabric, 1. e. the one to which the stitches are drawn in knitting, a plurality of substantially parallel longitudinal wales a a which stand out on the one surface of the fabric in the form of ridges, in view of which the said normally outer surface of the fabric is commonly referred to as the rough face, while the reverse face of the fabric, that adjacent which the thread for each new course of stitches is laid and from which the thread of the new stitches is drawn through the fabric to the first said face thereof, presents a comparatively smooth surface and is commonly :referred to as the smooth face of the fabric.

Fig. 2 illustrates at B whatis commonly referred to as a non-run fabric, in that runners,

/ common in plain fabric such as that illustrated in Fig. 1, which are caused by successive dropping or unlooping of stitches along a given wale across a plurality of courses, as caused by the breaking of the thread in a stitch in the said wale in one of the courses, is arrested immediately or within the extent of a relatively few courses by reason of the interlocking of the stitches of the one wale with the stitches of an adjacent wale in predetermined courses.

Fig. 3 illustrates a lace fabric C which is produced by transferring stitches from wale to wale to form openings in the fabric, while the transferring of the stitches is not necessarily effected in such a manner as to prevent the unlooping of stitches in event of the thread breaking or by the improper transferring of the stitches in the course of knitting of the lace fabric.

Fig. 4 illustrates a non-run type of lace fabric C wherein the stitches are so transferred or spread from needle to needle and wale to wale as to prevent the formation of runners by the unlooping of stitches in succeeding courses when the thread breaks or when a stitch is improperly transferred from needle to needle.

Fig. 5 illustrates a lace fabric C produced by the holding of selected stitches during the formation of successive courses to form what is generally known as tuck stitches. This fabric like that shown in Fig. 3 is susceptible to runners, though in only one direction.

In the course of the following description and claims describing the construction and various modes of fabricating the composite stockings shown in Figs. 6 to 13 inclusive, reference to plain fabric A is intended to be interpreted as meaning any knitted fabric wherein the stitches are regular and uniform in the successive courses and parallel wales and wherein no manipulation of the stitches is effected for any of the definite purposes herein set forth.

In referring to non-run fabric B, the same should be interpreted to mean any and all types of non-run fabrics without regard to the specific construction by which the non-run feature of the fabric is effected.

In referring to lace fabrics, the same should double ply throughout from the top edge 2 of the welt structure 3, to the tip t of the foot structure 5, including also the leg 6 and instep 7. Each stocking l is composed of two component units 55 and 25 respectively, which are disposed one within the other and integrally joined by seaming, looping or in other suitable manner along a line or suture 8 (see Fig. 15) extending from the tip t of the foot structure 5 along the sole 9 of the said foot structure around the heel it and up the back of the leg to the extreme upper edge 2 of the welt structure 3.

The two component units [5 and 25, of which each composite stocking l is composed, may be of a circular knit seamless type and the connecting suture 8 may be produced in the form of amock seam embracing both units. In the preferred form of the invention the two component units are of the fiat knit full fashioned type and the two units are preferably integrally connected by superimposing one of the units upon the other while in flat blank form, then folding the two blanks to bring the four selvage edges together, after. which the said four selvage edges are joined by and included in the one seam 8.

If desired. each of the component units l5 and 25 may include its own separate garter top or welt, as shown at Ma, H11 in Fig. 12, which is knit directly to the upper edge I2a of the leg portion 6. The garter tops IIa, IId may be composed of a heavier thread than the leg portion 6 and is preferably composed of non-run fabric B. The two welt pieces Ila, H11, in such instances, are integrally connected by a suitable elastic seam I3a formed by a connecting thread or threads along the extreme upper edge of the welt structure 3a.

As shown in Fig. 13, the welt structure 3b may be of the turned type consisting of a single piece of non-run fabric B folded along the line I3b to produce two plies I Ib, I Ie respectively connected to the upper edges I2b, l2e of the leg portions 6', 6" of the outer and inner units I5 and 25 respectively, as by topping the lower edges Mb, Id of the welt plies IIb, Me to the needles of the machine on which the leg portions 6', 6"

are knit successively.

Fig. 14 illustrates a single ply welt structure 3c which is preferably composed of a relatively heavy piece of non-run fabric topped on to the needles along its edge I40 to have the leg portion 6' of one component unit knit thereto and subsequently topped onto the needles 2. second time to have the leg portion 6" of the second component unit knit thereto. Obviously, the upper edges I2c, IZe of the leg portions 6', 6 and the lower edge I40 of the welt structure 30 may be joined by an elastic seam similar to that illustrated at I3a in Fig. 12.

In the preferred form of the invention as illustrated in Figs. 6 to 11 inclusive, one of the composite units I5 or 25 has a regular double ply or turned welt knit directly thereto, and as the welt structure in each instance is preferably composed of non-run fabric it follows that in the instance where one of the component units is composed of non-run fabric the welt structure would be formed therewith. In any case, the one component unit is provided with the turned welt in the usual manner, and after the blank including the leg of the one unit is completed to the extent intended on the particular machine knitting the same, the blank is topped onto the needles along the suture line I2 where the two plies II, II of the turned welt structure 3 are joined together and to the leg of the initial blank, whereupon the knitting of the leg of the second unit is started and thereby joined to the welt structure 3.

In knitting the second unit to the initially formed unit in the manner noted, the initial unit may be topped onto the needles in such a manner that the smooth faces of the two units will lie in contact one with the other when the two units are finally seamed together to complete the single composite stocking.

Each unit, or either unit as desired, may be provided with normal reinforcement or plating in the foot structure 5 such as at the toe 4, the foot sole 9, and the heel I0, such reinforcements being clearly illustrated at I6 and 26 in the units I5 and 25 respectively.

Fig. 6 illustrates the composite stocking I with the outer and inner units I5 and 25 each composed of plain fabric A, while the welt structure 3 is composed of non-run fabric B.

Fig. 7 illustrates a composite stocking Ia wherein the two component units I5 and 25 and the welt structure 3 are each and all composed of non-run fabric B. I

Fig. 8 illustrates a composite stocking lb wherein the inner unit 25 and the welt structure 3 are composed of non-run fabric B while the outer unit I5 is composed of plain fabric A.

Fig. 9 illustrates a composite stocking I c wherein the outer unit I5 and welt structure 3 are composed of non-run fabric B while the inner unit 25 is composed of plain fabric A.

Fig. 10 shows a composite stocking Id wherein the inner unit 25 and the welt structure 3 are composed of non-run fabric B while the outer unit I5 is composed of lace fabric C, C or C Fig. 11 illustrates a composite stocking Ie wherein the welt structure 3 is composed of nonrun fabric B, the inner unit 25 is composed of plain fabric A, and the outer unit I5 is composed of lace fabric C, C or C as the choice may be.

It will be apparent that the invention is not limited strictly to hosiery, but may be applied with equal facility and satisfaction to garments of other types. Also, it is not requisite that the entire garment be formed of double ply knitted fabric of different loop formations, but a part only of the garment may be so formed, such for instance as the foot or other portion of a stocking, as may be desired.

Of course, the improvements specifically shown and described, by which'I obtain the above results, can be changed and modified in various ways without departing from the scope of the invention herein disclosed and hereinafter claimed.

I claim:

1. In a full fashioned stocking having a substantial leg portion thereof consisting of a composite fabric of the type wherein the identity of the outer ply knitted web design is altered, an outer ply knitted web having a loop formation rendering it impervious to walewise runs in either direction, and an inner ply knitted web visible therethrough of different loop structure, the surface appearance of the webs unitedly blending to subvert the identity of the outer ply knitted web design.

2. In a full fashioned stocking having a substantial leg portion thereof consisting of a composite fabric of the type wherein the identity of the outer ply knitted web design is altered, an outer ply knitted web having a loop formation rendering it impervious to walewise runs in either direction, and an inner ply knitted web visible therethrough of different loop structure and color from that of the outer ply knitted web, the surface appearance of the webs unitedly blending to subvert the identity of the outer ply knitted web design.

3. In a full fashioned stocking having a substantial leg portion thereof consisting of a composite fabric of the type wherein the design motif of the outer ply knitted web is altered, an outer ply knitted web having a loop formation rendering it impervious to walewise runs in either direction and having a specific design motif, and an inner ply knitted web visible therethrough of different loop structure and different design motif, the design motifs of the webs being blended, whereby the fabric surface-pattern effect is changed and thereby resembles the combined effect of the two fabrics which pattern effect is different from either of the separate webs.

4. A full fashioned stocking including, throughout suflicient area thereof to give a general stocking pattern effect, a background of inner knitted web impervious to walewise runs in either direction and simulating a normal skin tone, and an outer knitted web of contrasting character,

10 stantial portion of the leg thereof, being impervious to walewise runs in'either direction, and

of greater transparency than that of a plain knit stocking fabric, which comprises placing a plain knit stocking fabric behind that of the mesh like stocking fabric whereby some of the walewise line characteristics of the plain knit stocking fabric are imparted to the mesh like fabric, and joining the fabrics together to prevent substantial relative movement of the respective fabrics.

GUSTAV GASTRICH. 

